22 people reached out to, can't make it a five hander. (3 Viewers)

[Eriks]

I invite about 80 players via a facebook group and another 10-15 who don't use facebook. Sometimes the 24 spots fill up really fast with a queue behind it, and other times not, like last night we were 9. Still a great time though!

So even with around 100 on the list, I am always recruiting, always trying to expand that list.

Out of the 9 last night, 3 where new recruits from the last year. So without the "always be recruiting approach" we would have been 6.

Regarding the OP: At 5 my decision to cancel or not would depend heavily on the individuals.

Impressive list. Mine isn’t very long, but it’s very updated and those on it are all likely to attend when given proper notice. I should get more though

 

[Mr Winberg]

Impressive list. Mine isn’t very long, but it’s very updated and those on it are all likely to attend when given proper notice. I should get more though

I should really prune the list, about 20-30 are probably never showing up again, have moved, etc. But I don't want to kick people out of the group either.

Which is another example of how important it is to always be recruiting

And sorry about the quote in you know where but I just can't help myself. I need help.

 

[Eriks]

Haha I forgive you

 

[glynn]

That may work for you and who's around, but most people can't commit fully until a day or two before hand, theyve got kids, they've got parents, grandparents, work etc

The suggestion is that there is no "fully committed" distinction for the purpose of the go/no-go. Either a player is committed or he is not, and the game does not run unless a pre-determined x number of players are committed by t time.

The end result might be the same, but it is realized on Wednesday instead of two hours before the game on Friday. And actually, having advanced notice of a possible no-go allows you to tap into contingency pools without scrambling, so the game has an extra chance of coming together. Else you can safely cancel and make other plans.

I know it's rich for a Bostonian to give this advice to a guy from rural Arkansas. I also realize that this is a rant thread, and so the advice might come off as unsolicited. It works for a lot of hosts though!

 

[aaron2786]

The suggestion is that there is no "fully committed" distinction for the purpose of the go/no-go. Either a player is committed or he is not, and the game does not run unless a pre-determined x number of players are committed by t time.

The end result might be the same, but it is realized on Wednesday instead of two hours before the game on Friday. And actually, having advanced notice of a possible no-go allows you to tap into contingency pools without scrambling, so the game has an extra chance of coming together. Else you can safely cancel and make other plans.

I know it's rich for a Bostonian to give this advice to a guy from rural Arkansas. I also realize that this is a rant thread, and so the advice might come off as unsolicited. It works for a lot of hosts though!

Metropolitan Arkansas, actually. Lol. Idk what everyone thinks we do here, but yeah most games are locked days before. No, none of us have a looking glass to tell if "something will come up" for a player. Though it usually does, I usually overbook, and we usually have a nice 7-9 handed game every week, heck, ten last week, but like you said it was just a rant thread, I'm good, tourney day

 

[ThrowBack]

I don’t get people who won’t play if it’s a short end of the game. The couple regulars at our table. Love to play six max. We even do the occasional six max night add in other games.

We use it as scheduled time to hang out. So even if we ended up down to just the three most common regulars, we would still probably just play and practice our short hand tournament game.

 

[Tonysquander]

That sucks but should not end a planned good time for the other players. Find a good back up game that is perfect for 4-5 players. Being from LA, my suggestion would be Bourre. It’s fun, easy to learn, fast playing, not too painful monetarily, unless you bourre a hand, and is a perfect game for four players.

 

[liftapint]

I live in a rural “town” of <1000, and while it took a while to catch on, I now pretty much have 2 full tables (of 8) every game. Could be because there is nothing else to do here. Lol.

 

[ThrowBack]

Shorthand is a good time to rotate 7 card stud and 5 card draw. Even short deck. Mix it up and make it fun. Call it cowboy day

 

[aaron2786]

Shorthand is a good time to rotate 7 card stud and 5 card draw. Even short deck. Mix it up and make it fun. Call it cowboy day

I didz played 4 handed last night, stud, razz, triple draw low, 8 or better

 

[Nine_high]

The reality many don’t like to face or maybe weren’t playing long enough to understand is that NL has really hurt the regular poker game. There are very very few people willing to risk money playing no limit on a regular basis. It does not matter what they say it’s all bullshit. After all, do we forget the line from rounders? Where protagonist comments in the narration that no limit games rarely come together because “even the pros couldn’t handle the swings”?

Back before the boom I was a sometimes guest of $1/2 limit 7 card stud game that had happened weekly for decades….way before I was born! When Holdem got accepted I hosted weekly limit games for about 3 straight years. Sometimes we had two tables going for $2/4 and $3/6!

Then cash NLHE was offered in AC where many of us played and it became “ we need to switch to no limit, it’s so much better“. I remember, saying to some of the regulars, “I honestly don’t think people will play that every week let alone every month“, and I was talking about $1/2 NL with a $150 max buying then.

Our game fell apart within 6 months to the point we played cash only after the tourneys we ran (about 7 a year)

About 5 years ago I started with another group of players, playing for lower stakes and hoping that will keep the game. $.50/1 ran about monthly for a while but now I struggle to get those players together.

The answer is the same as it was 20 yrs ago. Tournaments. All the excitement of NL HE, with a built in stop loss.

That said, cash is still king. Limit is fun. NL is more fun.

 

[merkong]

The answer is the same as it was 20 yrs ago. Tournaments. All the excitement of NL HE, with a built in stop loss.

That said, cash is still king. Limit is fun. NL is more fun.

I dropped tourneys a long time ago. No waiting for replies, no sweating a shorter table.

Perfect poker is somewhere between 5 and a full table of 10.

Cash *is* King.

 

[Grimace]

Impressive list. Mine isn’t very long, but it’s very updated and those on it are all likely to attend when given proper notice. I should get more though

My list isn’t long either. Maybe 25 and some haven’t made it to a game in almost 2 years but still don’t want me to take em off the list because one of these times their kids won’t have a tournament on the weekend or some other family commitment and they will make it. Last month I had a guy some I’ve been inviting since last June. He brought a friend and another coworker came. 3 noobs. Last night it wasn’t looking good and the 3 noobs from last month said yes and brought two friends. 5 of the 8 players last night were only playing their second game I host and it was a blast. I’m always looking for new players who want to play. I keep a list of the tournament dates and who I’ve invited divided into “nopes” and “confirmed” so I can see who’s more likely come.

 

[Old State]

The answer is the same as it was 20 yrs ago. Tournaments. All the excitement of NL HE, with a built in stop loss.

That said, cash is still king. Limit is fun. NL is more fun.

Tournaments are terrible IMO for regular small games. People all have to arrive at the same time and then people bust out an hour after driving to your house. I’ll do tournaments but I only like them with at least 20 people

 

[Wils]

Very much the same here. TBH I couldn't realistic host more than 8, but getting more than 5 can be difficult. Friends of friends? Nope. Colleagues? Nope.

It's so true that you have to expand your member list just to keep it constant, but it's getting to the point where I don't know who else I can approach. At least without trying to sound like I'm selling Herbalife or something ;P

 

[doublebooyah85]

Shorthand is a good time to rotate 7 card stud and 5 card draw. Even short deck. Mix it up and make it fun. Call it cowboy day

5 card double draw!

 

[aaron2786]

5 card double draw!

Played that as well, used doc holiday voice the whole time, every now and again I'd slip into Wyatt and tell em, "skin that smoke wagon and see what happens, throw down boy"

 

[Rakrul]

I would also stress the point that this book makes - your game needs a proper balance between skill and luck. Meaning don't cater to the sharks, but to the fish. Without fish, your game dies. That's means fuck match the stack. Fuck deep stack buy-ins, etc. Only the sharks benefit from it. The fish needs to have a winning night once every 4th night at least, hopefully one out of three.

Otherwise you're the equivalent of running a bar where no girls come. It be dead.

Edit: Run-it-twice or more might be a bad idea as well. Usually the fish is the dog and doesn't really want to equalize the equity.

 

[aaron2786]

I would also stress the point that this book makes - your game needs a proper balance between skill and luck. Meaning don't cater to the sharks, but to the fish. Without fish, your game dies. That's means fuck match the stack. Fuck deep stack buy-ins, etc. Only the sharks benefit from it. The fish needs to have a winning night once every 4th night at least, hopefully one out of three.

Otherwise you're the equivalent of running a bar where no girls come. It be dead.

Edit: Run-it-twice or more might be a bad idea as well. Usually the fish is the dog and doesn't really want to equalize the equity.

Without fish, your game dies.

Without players. FTFY


Hang on one sec while I pull out my rolodex and get Elon's number for the next game.

 

[Nine_high]

Tournaments are terrible IMO for regular small games. People all have to arrive at the same time and then people bust out an hour after driving to your house. I’ll do tournaments but I only like them with at least 20 people

Totally agree. Tournaments are best for larger groups. And rebuy options alleviate the problem of getting knocked out too early, but still keeping the stakes from spiraling.

As much as I dislike about tournaments, it is, in my opinion, an effective way of combining NL play with limit stakes.

 

[Rakrul]

Without players. FTFY


Hang on one sec while I pull out my rolodex and get Elon's number for the next game.

I don't get what Elon has to do with this, my point was that maybe there are some changes you need to do to your game. Why aren't people coming anymore? Sure, there's life and sometimes participation varies for whatever reason but like poker, maybe it isn't variance but poor play?

 

[aaron2786]

I don't get what Elon has to do with this, my point was that maybe there are some changes you need to do to your game. Why aren't people coming anymore? Sure, there's life and sometimes participation varies for whatever reason but like poker, maybe it isn't variance but poor play?

Sure, there's life and sometimes participation varies

There ya go, ya nailed it. I said as much in the OP. The game is fine, the players are good, it was a rant man

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

I'm a host so I can empathize.

I'm fortunate enough to live near several PCFers who are consistently reliable & rarely flake. (If ever)
Unfortunately there's a local meet-up this week that I can't attend so I'll be counting on the less consistent part of my player pool this thursday lol. Good part is most of my crew will play short (4-way) so odds are there will be a game. My favorite is 6-max so I might be in luck!

 

[aaron2786]

but like poker, maybe it isn't variance but poor play?

Also, what are you, the poker room inspirational speaker? The absolute aura of "weekend time share salesman" you manage to put into so few words is astounding. You think you sound like Yoda, but it's more White Goodman.

 

[Rakrul]

Also, what are you, the poker room inspirational speaker? The absolute aura of "weekend time share salesman" you manage to put into so few words is astounding. You think you sound like Yoda, but it's more White Goodman.

Jesus, just trying to offer some advice... How you manage to get butthurt over that is the astounding part here.

 

[LotsOfChips]

@aaron2786 , I sense a lot of hostility towards @Rakrul ’s comments. Not sure whether he pissed in your cornflakes in a different thread, or whether you are reacting to his comments here (which aren’t overly offensive IMO). He makes a valid point, in that maybe the lack of response from previous players may be based on wallet fatigue from losing players. Something to think about, at least.

 

[aaron2786]

Jesus, just trying to offer some advice... How you manage to get butthurt over that is the astounding part here.

That's it, just sharing in the downsides of this community as well

See that? That's how I signed off my rant, dude. It was a quick vent. I played mixed games later that night, 7 hours of tournament yesterday and now I have Fridays tourney already loaded up. I wasn't asking for advice, and this may come as a shock for you (if you typically offer up unsolicited advice for others)... People don't like that shit. Twice as much when it's condescending, half baked, fuax intellectual dribble (e.g. "perhaps much like poker, it's not just variance, but poor play"). Tell me more wise sage. Butthurt? No, offended that you think you can offer anything to run my,.or anyone's, games better than themselves. Peace

 

[aaron2786]

@aaron2786 , I sense a lot of hostility towards @Rakrul ’s comments. Not sure whether he pissed in your cornflakes in a different thread, or whether you are reacting to his comments here (which aren’t overly offensive IMO). He makes a valid point, in that maybe the lack of response from previous players may be based on wallet fatigue from losing players. Something to think about, at least.

Nope. I've said as much already.

 

[Rakrul]

See that? That's how I signed off my rant, dude. It was a quick vent. I played mixed games later that night, 7 hours of tournament yesterday and now I have Fridays tourney already loaded up. I wasn't asking for advice, and this may come as a shock for you (if you typically offer up unsolicited advice for others)... People don't like that shit. Twice as much when it's condescending, half baked, fuax intellectual dribble (e.g. "perhaps much like poker, it's not just variance, but poor play"). Tell me more wise sage. Butthurt? No, offended that you think you can offer anything to run my,.or anyone's, games better than themselves. Peace

Ok, Karen

 

[aaron2786]

Ok, Karen